https://www.scmp.com/rss/521859/feed The latest news and top stories on Landbridge Group. A private multinational commercial group, headquartered in China’s Shandong province with Australian offices in Brisbane, Landbridge Group operates across infrastructure, logistics, oil and gas, real estate, and manufacturing. They are notably the leaseholder of Australia’s strategic Port of Darwin, acquired in 2015, aiming to develop northern Australia as a gateway to Asian markets. Their business focus includes port operations, energy... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Carol Yang Carol Yang Panama’s decision to invalidate port contracts with a Hong Kong-based conglomerate is sending shock waves through global port investment, analysts warn, creating a destabilising precedent amid rising geopolitical fragmentation. Tensions are escalating in the Central American nation following a top court’s ruling that voided CK Hutchison Holdings’ port concession – a long-term agreement granting rights to operate a port – from the 1990s as “unconstitutional”. The local port authority later said... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342521/panamas-dangerous-precedent-why-global-ports-appear-pawns-politics-trump-contracts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342521/panamas-dangerous-precedent-why-global-ports-appear-pawns-politics-trump-contracts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:30:11 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Any decision by Australia to regain control of Darwin Port is likely to differ from Panama’s move to nullify a contract on its geostrategically vital canal, as fears of Chinese retaliation and a limited security consensus limit Canberra’s options, analysts said – though they warned the issue could still reopen strains in the bilateral relationship. Panama’s Supreme Court ruled on Friday against a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings, ending its rights to operate two ports on the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342192/china-ties-make-darwin-port-bigger-test-australia-panama-port-dispute-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342192/china-ties-make-darwin-port-bigger-test-australia-panama-port-dispute-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:54:32 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Beijing has pledged to step in if Canberra commits to regaining control of a strategic port in northern Australia that is leased to a Chinese firm. Chinese ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian said on Wednesday that Beijing “has the obligation to take measures” to protect the legitimate rights of Chinese companies overseas if the port of Darwin were taken back through a forced sale, according to Australian media reports. During last year’s successful re-election campaign, Australian Prime Minister... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341574/china-will-step-if-australia-moves-regain-control-darwin-port-envoy-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341574/china-will-step-if-australia-moves-regain-control-darwin-port-envoy-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:00:39 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik China is training an artificial intelligence tool to support the country’s port industry using what the National Development and Reform Commission says is the “world’s largest” port operation data set. The AI application draws on data covering “the most comprehensive range of port business scenarios”, according to Li Chao, deputy director of the NDRC’s policy research office. “It will provide strong support for technological research and development as well as verification in areas such as port... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3335018/china-trains-industry-ai-tool-using-worlds-largest-port-operation-data-set?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3335018/china-trains-industry-ai-tool-using-worlds-largest-port-operation-data-set?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 11:00:11 +0000 Daryl Guppy Daryl Guppy Chinese media outlets were keen to accentuate the positives of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to China. However, sections of the Australian media played up the idea that China was attempting to drive a wedge between Australia and the United States and members of the Australian opposition criticised the visit, calling some of Albanese’s stops “indulgent”. The visit achieved much in some areas, but otherwise made little progress. Despite reported efforts by Elbridge Colby, US... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3318707/australia-should-not-sabotage-its-own-efforts-boost-ties-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3318707/australia-should-not-sabotage-its-own-efforts-boost-ties-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Jul 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong When Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives in China next week for his second official visit, he will have more than the typical diplomatic niceties to discuss with President Xi Jinping. A major task on Albanese’s agenda, besides routine topics like trade, will be to explain his country’s stance on Chinese investment – in particular, addressing the controversy over the ownership and potential government-influenced sale of the Darwin Port – the Post has learned from sources with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3317184/australias-albanese-address-darwin-port-sale-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3317184/australias-albanese-address-darwin-port-sale-china-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 04:00:17 +0000